Narrative

Fortune Reeves, along with her son Jesse, is listed as one of the administrators of the estate of Malachi Reeves in the Guilford County court records of November 1784. There are numerous additional deeds in the Guilford County deed records where Fortune Reeves deeded land to her sons in 1788.

The Reeves Review had attributed a son, William married to one Hannah Smith, to Malachi and Fortune Reeves; however, based upon research of the probate, deeds and other records of Guilford County, there is no record that Malachi and Fortune Reeves had a son William. This William also supposedly died in Wilkes County, GA in 1816. As to a marriage of a William Reeves to Hannah Smith, the only such record is in Mecklenberg County in 1820, four years after the William Reeves of Wilkes County died.

In the Guilford County Court Minutes of 15 Nov 1784 - Ordered that Bob Mitchel a Mullatto boy aged four years the 15th day of December next be bound to Fortune Reeves until he arrive to the age of twenty one years, he being formerly bound to her husband.

Research Notes:
It has been assumed that Richard Burton of Guilford County, NC, was the father of Fortune Reeves because 3 Reeves grandchildren received legacies in his 1799 will (probated February 1801, WB A, pg 25) - Richard, Thomas and Martha Reeves. But in fact, those were the children of Malachi and Fortune Reeves' son Thomas. When Thomas Reeves died, his widow Elizabeth Reeves was granted the administration of his estate in Guilford County, February Court 1795. On 26 Apr 1796, Elizabeth Reeves married Elias Simons in Guilford County. Elizabeth Simons was named by Richard Burton as his daughter in his 1799 will and the Reeves grandchildren are the children of Elizabeth Burton and Thomas Reeves.

Additionally, Richard Burton DOES NOT name a daughter, Fortune, in his will. He names Elizabeth Simons, Mary Mileham and Dorcas Bourton (Burton).

It should also be noted that Fortune Reeves and Richard Burton were of the same generation and very near in age. Fortune was married to Malachi before 1 Nov 1768 when she relinguished her dower rights in a Granville County deed making her date of birth circa 1750 or before. Richard Burton, Sr. of Guilford County was born about 1740 which further confirms that he was not her father.

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Page last modified on Saturday 12 of November, 2011 07:13:04 CST by Beverly .